Even though Lexington is a smaller city in comparison to other metropolitan areas in the United States, we are beginning to pack a punch when it comes to the restaurant market. One reason for this explosion onto the culinary scene is the burgeoning empire of Ouita Michel. A wonderful local chef, Ouita has managed to rise up in the ranks of fine dining in the central Kentucky area, from Holly Hill Inn in Midway to Windy Corner Market in Lexington. But today we’re going to focus on her newest venture, a farm-to-table concept called Honeywood. 

Located in the Summit at Fritz Farm on the south side of Lexington, the restaurant is named after Honeywood Parrish Rouse, a central Kentucky socialite who grew up in Midway at what is now known as Holly Hill Inn. Honeywood has all the down-home cooking of Ouita’s other restaurants, while incorporating a luxurious-yet-quirky decor that invites guests to dine in a warm atmosphere. From the many chandeliers to the reclaimed barn wood flooring, you’ll feel right at home while enjoying some great southern cuisine. The restaurant also boasts all kinds of art, including a piece that was created by Ouita’s own father (how cool is that)?! Even the logo has a personal touch, as it is modeled after the spring flowers that grow near Holly Hill Inn. Ouita is very conscious of where the food for her restaurants comes from, making sure that as many ingredients as possible are locally sourced; Honeywood alone is on track to purchase over $300K worth of local ingredients this year!

Once again we had a special guest dining with us, friend-of-the-blog Madison, which means that we got to try several different menu items! First up, we had an appetizer of sweet potato beignets. Topped with a sweet and sour chili sauce, these fluffy little clouds of happiness bring you the savory-yet-sweet flavor of a sweet potato that perfectly compliments the slight heat of the red pepper flakes in the sauce. We then moved on to our lunch selections, which were quite eclectic if I do say so myself! Madison tried out the pot roast, while Sara had Kenny’s deluxe grilled cheese, and I took on the Wallace Station chicken salad plate. The pot roast was very colorful; cooked overnight in red wine and mirepoix, it features sides of potatoes and bright orange carrots with a honey glaze. Madison said it was very tender and full of flavor, and that it was really hitting the spot since it was so cold outside. (We ate here on New Year’s weekend when snow was flying around and the temperatures were in the teens)! The grilled cheese sandwich was very savory and comforting; made with smoked Gouda and apple mostarda sandwiched between two slices of rye bread from Midway Bakery, this all-local grilled cheese had Sara swimming in a pool of cheesy goodness! And last but not least, the chicken salad plate was wonderful! The mixture of dried cranberries and almonds with the grass-fed chicken was very flavorful, and all of that sits on top of a light and airy hoecake; if that doesn’t scream southern comfort food then I don’t know what to tell you! If that wasn’t enough, you can’t leave Honeywood without trying one of their very scrumptious desserts! Madison had the chocolate bourbon pecan pie, topped with whipped cream gelato from Sorella, and it was a decadent masterpiece! Sara tried one of Ouita’s famous corn cookies with a scoop of blackberry buttermilk ice cream from Crank and Boom, and she highly recommends both! (The cookie tastes like Cap’n Crunch cereal if that helps)! I had the Blue Monday sundae; it’s a central Kentucky all-star lineup starring a brownie from Midway Bakery, whipped cream gelato from Sorella, and crushed Blue Monday cream candy from Ruth Hunt Candies. Everything we had made us feel like we were spending the afternoon in our grandmothers' kitchens, and you can't get much better than that!

Honeywood is different from Ouita Michel’s other restaurants in that it’s located in an upscale shopping area instead of just appearing off the beaten path. This doesn’t have any affect on the down-home feeling you get with Ouita; we’ve been to Windy Corner Market and Wallace Station in the past and Honeywood gives us the same warm feeling. The parking situation isn’t too crazy; because it is in a shopping area it can be a little tricky to find a spot right in front of the restaurant, but we’ve never had any problems finding a parking place that wasn’t too far away from the building. If you like any of the aforementioned establishments then you’ll definitely want to try Honeywood; Ouita is doing some really special stuff here with local ingredients that you don’t want to miss out on. As per usual, we can’t wait to go back and try all the other intriguing menu items; there’s never a bad time to have some good southern comfort food!